Good news chocolate lovers! New research has found that a compound found in chocolate may help improve memory skills and reduce the memory loss that often accompanies old age.

It’s all about the flavanols. Researchers have found that these plant compounds – found in chocolate – are the key to the improvements.

In a new study, researchers from Columbia University Medical Center tested a special cocoa drink – highly concentrated with flavanols – to determine their effect on memory. The study, which was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, found that participants who drank a high-flavanol cocoa for three months performed better on a memory test than people who drank a low-flavanol mixture.

“If a participant had the memory of a typical 60-year-old at the beginning of the study, after three months that person on average had the memory of a typical 30- or 40-year-old,” said Dr. Scott Small, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center and the study’s senior author.

For the study, researchers examined the memory skills of 37 healthy adults, aged 50 to 69. About half of the participants were asked to consume a high-flavanol diet of about 900 mg of flavanols a day while the remaining participants followed a low-flavanol diet of 10 mg of flavanols a day for three months. Researchers performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans and also memory tests on all participants at the beginning and at the end of the study.

After three months, researchers found that the high-flavanol group showed noticeable improvements in an area of the brain called the dentate gyrus, which has been linked to this type of memory, and is often affected by aging. These participants also performed about 25 percent better on memory tests than their low-flavanol peers.

But researchers warn that as promising as these results are, you shouldn’t try to duplicate them at home. The cocoa that the participants drank was no ordinary cocoa but a proprietary drink made by Mars, Inc which is rich in flavanols and is not yet available on store shelves. To get this amount of flavanols in your daily diet you would need to eat at least 300 grams of dark chocolate a day — or about seven average-sized bars. Unfortunately, this fat and calorie overload would lead to a whole different series of health issues. And don’t even bother with milk chocolate as most varieties have the flavanols processed right out of them.

Still, it can’t hurt to enjoy a cup of cocoa in the evening while remembering the days gone by.

It’s here! Last week, I mentioned that I recently won a Garmin Forerunner 405 running watch through my fundraising for Girls on the Run. And as much as I would LOVE to keep this watch for myself, I think this is the perfect opportunity to raise even more $$ for the team. So I am raffling off this watch and for every $10 donation, you get a chance to win!

So I am raffling off this gorgeous GPS running watch. Just donate $10 to my fundraising page and I’ll throw your name in a hat to win. Every $10 donation gets you a chance so if you donate $50, you’ll be entered five times! Shipping is included, no matter where you are in the world.

Here is a pic of the ACTUAL watch you will receive. It comes with all of the pieces and parts…including software, USB ANT stick, and the heart rate monitor. And the product description from Amazon (where this baby retails for $185:)

Touch bezel lets you change screens with a simple tap (no more fumbling for buttons)

Download recorded courses to compete against previous workouts or race a Virtual Partner

Want to win? Grab your $10 and head over to my Girls on the Run fundraising page. Winner will be announced at 5pm on Friday, October 24. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far.

]]>http://www.thegreenparent.com/win-a-garmin-forerunner-405-with-heart-rate-monitor-and-usb/feed/0Need a bigger skirt? You may have upped your breast cancer riskhttp://www.thegreenparent.com/need-a-bigger-skirt-you-may-have-upped-your-breast-cancer-risk/
http://www.thegreenparent.com/need-a-bigger-skirt-you-may-have-upped-your-breast-cancer-risk/#respondThu, 25 Sep 2014 17:26:14 +0000http://www.thegreenparent.com/?p=7057Have you found that your skirt size has creeped up over the years? Your risk for developing breast cancer might be increasing right along with your skirt size.

Researchers at the Gynecological Cancer Research Center at University College London, recently completed a study on over 93,000 British women. The women were all over age 50 at the onset of the study between 2005 and 2010, and none had a diagnosis of breast cancer.

According to the study, the women had an average skirt size of 8 at the age of 25. When they entered the study, the average age of the participants was 64 and the average skirt size was a 10. Roughly 75 percent of the women reported that their skirt sized had increased between their twenties and the time of the study. Researchers found that for every two sizes in 19 years a woman’s skirt size increased, her breast cancer risk increased 77 percent.

Interestingly, while risk factors such as family history and use of hormone replacement were also associated with an increased breast cancer risk, it was increases in skirt size that were found to be the strongest predictor.

This goes hand in hand with the latest research finding that abdominal fat might be more of a concern than health experts once realized. And because skirt size may be a better indicator of belly fat than say BMI – body mass index – or even the daily numbers on a scale, researchers think this association might warrant greater investigation.

Of course, this study only showed that there is a link between skirt size and breast cancer risk, but it doesn’t explain why. And researchers also noted that changes in skirt sizing over the years may have skewed results. But in the U.S., smaller sizes are being used for larger waists, this would only make the association between breast cancer and skirt size even stronger.

Bottom line: If your skirt size is growing, it may require more attention than a wardrobe change.

In the market for a new running shoe? Your first stop should be to seek out the advice of an expert at your local running store. They can watch you run, examine your current pair, and talk to your about your running goals – and injury history – to determine the running shoes that would work best for you.

You can also use this guide, created by running legend Amby Burfoot, to help you figure out what style of shoe you should be looking for. Motion-controlled? Neutral? Stability? This guide will walk you through it. And start you on your way to your best run.

This is probably the only picture of me in which I am not grimacing or cussing after the race. Ouch!

It has been less than 24 hours since I completed the Potomac River Run Marathon in Carderock, Maryland. So while the pain is still fresh in my quads – and my ego- I figured I would sort out the thoughts in my head by hammering it all out on the keyboard.

Some of you may remember my announcement last week that I was hoping for a PR at this race. As you may have guessed, I did not accomplish that goal. In fact, I didn’t even come close. And I’m actually OK with that.

I always hate to over-analyze a race, but it’s probably useful for me to understand that although I put in the hours and time toward training for this PR, my subsequent training for the Eagleman Half-Ironman in June meant that I rode 42-miles on my bike in what should have been my taper week. Sure, I was tapering on my runs but that was the farthest and fastest I have ever ridden my bike, and I felt it in my quads all week. I tried to take it very easy the rest of the week, but before I even hit the half-way point of this marathon I knew my quads were toast.

And here’s the thing…like a lot of marathoners, I have experienced the ‘wall’ in the later miles – I call them the ‘dark miles’ of the race. For me it’s usually 18-23. When I’m tired and hurting and I still have so many more miles to go and I start making deals with my brain to end the pain.

But this definitely was not the wall. This hit at mile 11 and up until this point I had been nailing my race pace – the race pace I had trained for. Even reeling it in during those first miles when I was amped up and eager to let it rip. But somewhere around mile 11, I could feel that my quads were done. That long bike ride did them in more than I had realized and even 6 days of rest wasn’t enough of a taper to get them back up to speed.

I kept running, but around mile 18 I realized that a PR of any sort would be impossible. Around mile 21, I was barely shuffling. I was definitely in the wall zone at this point too and I made the decision to walk the better part of the last 5 miles to minimize the damage to my legs.

As I was walking, I beat myself up for not only missing my goal to PR, but completely blowing my chance to even finish strong. And I was wondering how I could ever think that I might be able to complete a Half-Ironman in a few weeks and an Ironman in a few months if I couldn’t even find the mental strength to complete a marathon.

But then it dawned on me that me decision to walk had nothing to do with mental strength and everything to do with my desire to remain injury-free so that I could continue to train towards my future race goals. And I also realized that in spite of the pain, I never stopped moving. Even though my legs were shredded on that last 6 and I wanted nothing more than to stop and catch a ride home, I continued to put one foot in front of the other until I crossed the finish line.

So while I’m disappointed that I didn’t PR, I am proud of myself for assessing the situation and minimizing the damage before it got out of hand. And the big lesson I learned is that training for an Ironman and PRing in a marathon do not go hand-in-hand.

So for the next few months, I will continue to train for my half and then full Ironman races, and I will continue to do speedwork, but PRs are off the table until next year. Whew, that feels better!

As for the race itself, the Potomac River Run Marathon is a small, gorgeously scenic, and well-organized race along the famed C&O Canal trail. It’s flat as a pancake and crushed shells and rock the whole way. Yes, that’s easier on the knees. But trust me, you will feel every shell and rock on your feet before that marathon is over. It’s also an out-and-back race repeated twice. So you essentially cover the same ground four times. Boring? Maybe. But I think the scenery and the shade make up for that.

The race support is good in that they are very clear about what they have for racers and where the water stops are ahead of time. But even though I don’t generally drink that much water on my practice long runs, I would have to say that I was absolutely parched in the 2 or so miles between water stops at this race. Particularly in that last 10K. If you’re a camel, you will be fine. If not, bring your own water!

]]>http://www.thegreenparent.com/race-report-potomac-river-run-marathon/feed/4Solar water heating – what’s in it for you?http://www.thegreenparent.com/solar-water-heating-whats-in-it-for-you/
http://www.thegreenparent.com/solar-water-heating-whats-in-it-for-you/#respondMon, 05 May 2014 15:09:49 +0000http://www.thegreenparent.com/?p=6885Solar heated water has been around for a long time – remember the sun-warmed swimming pool in your back yard; waiting for the sea to warm up in spring before taking that first dip; or the good old camp shower – a plastic bag full of water hung in the sun to heat up for your daily wash?

The earliest record of an Australian solar water heating system was at Meringa Station (near Cairns) in 1941. It was relatively crude, but was still able to provide hot water for the household for about ten months of each year.

Today, solar water heating has advanced into streamlined systems which can save you money at the same time as helping the environment. The Australian government has invested heavily into sustainable energy forms that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and with Australia’s high rate of sunshine, solar energy is an excellent alternative to fossil fuels and unsustainable resources. Solar hot water is here to stay.

So what does this mean for you? The news is good – as solar hot water systems continue to be improved, the savings for you, the consumer, are increasing. Not only can you reduce your power bill by using the sun’s energy to heat your household water, you will also help the environment. Over a quarter of household greenhouse gas emissions are caused by traditional methods of water heating – there are no greenhouse emissions from solar water heating!

Solar water heating is pretty simple – in a nutshell, it exposes water to heat from the sun by pumping it through a system of photo-voltaic (PV) panels (or collectors) which capture the suns energy and using it to heat the water, then the hot water is stored in your hot water cylinder ready for use.

As solar heating is reliant on having regular sunlight, the efficiency of your system will depend on where it is placed (generally this will be on a north-facing part of your roof, away from the shade of trees and the like), and of course, how much the sun shines! To ensure a constant hot water supply, a back-up system such as gas or a heat pump is used, which will kick in when your solar system is not getting enough sun, for example during heavy cloud and at night.

In most cases, a solar system will provide between 50% and 90% of your household hot water requirements, depending on the system you choose and the amount of direct sun hitting it each day. Given that water heating accounts for more than a quarter of the power costs in an average home, this means big savings and a positive impact on the environment.

The parts that make it all happen

The components of a solar hot water system work in a circular loop, constantly feeding cold water in and pumping hot water out through interconnecting pipes. There are three main parts of the system that help with this process:
• Solar thermal collectors (the panels) – Used to capture the solar thermal energy from the sun and heat the water.

• Gas or electric water storage tank – Used to house your property’s water, pumping any cold water past the solar thermal collectors for heating, and sending this heated water around your home.

• Electric or gas booster – Used to maintain a constant level of heat in your storage tank so you always have a ready supply of hot water, even if there’s no sun.

Electric water heaters are being phased out in some parts of Australia and it is a requirement for new homes to have sustainable energy systems for water heating. Solar systems will not only meet legal requirements, but will make your home more desirable when it comes to resale. Depending on where you live, there are also government incentives and sometimes financial bonuses for making the change.

So when you are thinking about water heating, think solar. After all, nature has been using it for millions of years!

]]>http://www.thegreenparent.com/solar-water-heating-whats-in-it-for-you/feed/0You signed up for WHAT?http://www.thegreenparent.com/you-signed-up-for-what/
http://www.thegreenparent.com/you-signed-up-for-what/#commentsWed, 30 Apr 2014 17:41:56 +0000http://www.thegreenparent.com/?p=6878It seems as though I have some explaining to do.

Over the past few weeks, my race schedule for 2014 took shape in a pretty big way. And it seems that before the year is through, I will be making the leap from marathons and triathlons to an Ironman!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start with the race that’s on my mind right now: the Potomac River Run marathon in Washington D.C. on May 4th (this Sunday.) Unlike the marathons that I ran for my 4 for 40 goal last year, and the Disney marathon I completed in January, I’m hoping to finish strong at this Sunday’s race – not just finish.

A PR would be great. And with the training I have been doing, it is certainly possible. But I am also well aware how quickly things can go wrong during a marathon. And I would need everything to be absolutely perfect if I want to hit a PR. So at this point I’m actually stressing about all of the other issues – weather, clothes, tummy issues, sleep, hydration, etc. – that could affect my race. If those all fall into place, I think my little legs can carry me to a PR. But if one of those factors goes haywire, well, I guess I’ll just hope for a fun day!

I have two more marathons (well actually three, but I’ll get to that…) lined up for 2014 but I won’t be shooting for time goals at either event. The first is the San Francisco Marathon in July. If you’ll remember from this post, I plan to meet my 11-year-old at the 13.1 mile mark and run with her to finish the marathon as she complete her first half-marathon. Awesomesauce! I’m also planning to run the NYC Marathon (you’ve no doubt seen my constant pleas for donations as I fundraise for Girls on the Run for this event.)

As for the rest of 2014, as many of you know, I have also been training since December to complete my first Half-Ironman race – the Eagleman in Cambridge, MD on June 8th. And while I was at it, I decided to go completely off the deep end and sign up for my first Ironman race in September. After all, I haven’t even completed the half yet so surely am qualified to decide that I am ready for a full, right?

Yeah, I’m well aware that it’s crazy, but I also know that some of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my life have been the result of craziness. So I say, bring it on.

My new training plan started on Monday. But I should probably say Tuesday since my first day was a rest day. It turns out Tuesdays and Thursdays are all two-mile runs, which works out well with Girls on the Run.

Wednesdays are cross-training days, which are my personal favorite. I normally like to ride my bike on these days. I just recently tried out Mom’s bike trainer. It’s pretty hard because you can’t stop pedaling or the bike will stop. Mom’s bike is also a road bike so I have to lean really far down to reach the handlebars.

All in all, it’s a pretty neat training plan. Training for a half-marathon is AWESOME!!

But Emily is excited about the new half-marathon challenge in front of her.

About one minute after she finished her 10K about a year and a half ago, she started asking when she could run a half marathon. I was excited to see her so enthused about running, but also afraid to push her too far too fast. Still she kept asking, and this year felt like the right time. Now we just had to find a race, and a training plan.

We decided on the San Francisco Half Marathon for her first 13.1. For starters, there is no minimum age for this race. Many races state that runners must be older than 18 in order to run. And it also is unique in that half-marathoners can choose to run the 1st half or second half of the marathon race. So it works out perfectly for me to run the San Francisco Marathon and link up with Emily for the second half of the run, allowing us to finish together. I am beyond excited about that!

Next up was the training plan. After pouring through dozens of plans from books, past-issues of Runner’s World, and on websites, Em decided to follow the Couch to Half-Marathon Training Plan from Women’s Running. She is not exactly coming from the couch, but she also wasn’t particularly interested in the plans that involved lots of speed work or running at specified paces. She just wants to run 13.1 and enjoy every part of the training and race day along the way. Gotta love that!

Emily will be blogging about her experiences with training, running, and annoying mother-runner coaches at the 11 going on 13.1 page on this blog. Feel free to give her a shout-out of encouragement or tips for her first half!

]]>http://www.thegreenparent.com/11-going-on-13-1/feed/0Will you help me ‘Run Like a Girl?’http://www.thegreenparent.com/will-you-help-me-run-like-a-girl/
http://www.thegreenparent.com/will-you-help-me-run-like-a-girl/#commentsMon, 31 Mar 2014 13:12:34 +0000http://www.thegreenparent.com/?p=6846A few months ago, I embarked on a new journey as a coach for Girls on the Run.

If you’re not familiar with it, Girls on the Run is an organization that works with girls in grades 3-5 with the ultimate goal of running a 5K.

But GOTR is truly more than a running program. It’s a program that teaches girls about health, fitness, self-esteem, community, and real beauty. And it reminds girls how awesome they are before society, their friends, or that little voice in their head starts telling them otherwise.

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I have watched this program absolutely transform the lives of young girls.

Many of the girls in our group had zero experience with running. A few didn’t even have sneakers. But 6 weeks in and these girls are running their hearts out twice a week.

In between each run, we chat about things like conquering negative self-talk, the importance of fruits and veggies, and the attributes that make someone really beautiful (things like kindness, and love, and loyalty – not brand name clothes or skinny arms.)

This November, I plan to run the NYC marathon, and I’ve made a commitment to fund raise for Girls on the Run along the way.

But I need some help to reach my goal of raising $3,000 and I am hoping that you can help me do it.

If you are interested in donating to GOTR, I would be most grateful if you would consider donating through my fundraising page: